Sakura
by Typesalot
Summary: This is a story about Sesshoumaru. 50 years after the last battlewith Naraku. Rin has already passed away, & he's left to his lands to protect.His land was peaceful until a new power seeks to take it over. He finds he hasa child he didn't know existed!
1. Chapter 1

I will only say this once as I seem to see it on everyone's story – I don't own InuYasha! There, I said it. Now, and doubts that I do, simply return here to the first chapter to see that yes, I do not own InuYasha! LOL… In any case, I start my story after InuYasha & Naraku had it out…..and Sesshoumaru has both his arms. Rin is long gone as she's only human. So Sesshoumaru is all alone in his castle, keeping his lands safe for all the villagers and his subjects. But of course, that changes – because without change, there would be nothing story-worthy! My first fan-fic, so be gentle!

Sakura

"Mama…please, I don't like this stuff anymore!" she whined and pouted. Her mother liberally applied a sticky cream over her forehead. Then placed a triangular shroud over it. She clipped it gently into her hair, ignoring her young child's complaints as this was a daily routine for her.

"Why mama? Why do you put this stuff on me all the time…I hate it!" she said dipping her finger in the messy cream in disgust….watching it change to match her skin colour. It was a strange substance…sticky at first, then would dry and feel a bit like an extra skin. She made a disgusted look before trying to wipe it off on her clothing.

"Sakura! Don't do that, you'll make a mess of your pretty kimono!" she lightly scolded her daughter. Then smiled at her to stop her from pouting. She could never really be mad at her; she was almost always well behaved. "I don't want to take you to market with a dirty kimono young one!" she smiled.

Sakura giggled, she loved going with her mother into the market…all the smells of the different foods & spices. Especially since her mother usually got her a treat or trinket she could take home.

Mizuki closed up the little container of cream and took the brush from her dresser to brush her daughters light coloured hair. Surprising that it never really got very tangled despite her daughter's energetic nature. Both her & her daughter had very light-white hair. Very common for their demon race. Their village had a lot of their kind living here, she was glad she moved to this side of the village. Not really for that reason. Only that, the human children was never overly kind to her daughter. Not really their fault, it was in their nature to ridicule what was different. There were more demon children in this village that Sakura could play with, that put her mother at ease.

"Mama…" her daughter asked in a questioning tone. "…can we get some sweet buns today?" she fidgeted with her clothes as she looked up to her mother.

Her mother looked down at her daughter. She was only 4 years old, but she had that look down pat that she just couldn't say no. "Yes little one, I suppose we can pick up some sweet buns. Now go put your sandals on"

Sakura jumped up & down in childish glee before taking off for her sandals, almost forgetting to pull back the door to her mother's bedroom.

She had so much more energy than herself, it really made her wonder how she could just keep going and going without so much as a breather.

Xxxx-xxxXXXxxx-xxxX

Satsuki lay in her bed in her quarters trying to catch her breath. Her visions still pouring over her in violent flashes. She sat up quickly placing her hands over her temples trying to calm the visions down that were coming at her in what seemed like every direction. They were almost painful. Coming to her with such an urgency that brought tears to her eyes. She hadn't had visions this strong since the times when Naraku still walked these lands. She quickly dismissed the name in her head of having even brought the thought forward. After all, it had been well over 50 years ago.

She took a deep breath as she slid her legs over the side of her bed. Visions starting to settle in the back of her mind as she focused on containing them. She walked over to her chair and took the robe lying upon it. She hastily wrapped it around her and quickly walked out of her quarters and through the halls heading for her Master's study. 

She would have gotten dressed in proper attire before doing so, but she had to speak with him right away while the visions were still fresh. She was glad of all days that he was actually in the castle as he was almost always out checking over his territory to make sure that there was nothing amiss. He was a very protective ruler; almost nothing escaped his knowing about it. 

She made her way down the many halls and finally came to his wing. The early morning sun shone through the grand hall leading down to his study. She had a few glances from the regular servants going about their daily routine. Probably due to her attire. That couldn't be helped at that moment. She paused outside his study; the door of course was shut. She was trying to formulate how to tell him what she knew she must, as she hesitantly knocked upon his door.

"Enter" his reply.

She opened the door and gingerly stepped in. Closing the door behind her and approached his desk. He had scrolls upon scrolls on his desk that he was going through. The part of his job he found to be rather boring and unexciting. He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow at her appearance.

Seeing this, she bowed…"I apologize for my appearance Sesshoumaru-sama, but I couldn't wait a moment longer, I had to see you while my visions were still fresh in my mind."

"What has upset you so?" he questioned, putting the scroll he was opening down onto his desk.

She realized he meant the tears that still lightly flowed down her cheeks. "Oh…" she quickly wiped them away with her hands. "Sorry my lord, the visions are rather painful and many, that I am having trouble keeping them at bay"

He waited for her to continue.

"There is a new presence in the world. Growing in power. He seeks to overthrow you my lord. He's found something to use against you I'm afraid. Something you haven't known existed. Well, until now that is." She looked down at the floor waiting for anything he may have to say.

"What is it that I have that can possibly be used against me, who would dare to challenge me." He stated more than questioned.

"My lord, I do not know how to possibly say this, but, you have a child." She shrank slightly expecting him to become angry with her.

"Impossible. I'm always careful with any mistresses I have ever been with. Explain" he looked at her, not believing but knowing better as she was his best seer.

"My lord" she said bowing in apology, "I know that you have been careful, but my sight tells me that you indeed have a child. She resides in one of the villages on your land. Her exact location I am not sure on as someone seems to be putting up some sort of barrier to keep me from seeing the child and mother. This new presence is aware of this child of yours and has already dispatched his men to take the child. To use the child against you." She looked up at him, pleadingly.

He thought over her words. If this is true, he will have to find this child she speaks of before they do, whoever "they" are. This is going to be a challenge as he has many villages on his land. He would also have to make sure his men were out patrolling on a daily basis to spot any intruders.

"Is there anything that you can tell me of the child that may help me in my search?" he asked her.

She looked down, trying to feel through all of her visions, searching them very meticulously for clues. Bringing more tears to her eyes only from the pain of letting loose the hold she was trying to keep on them.

Sesshoumaru watched how her eyes would glow when she went to her visions. Satsuki was his best seer, which is why she was aloud to reside with him in his castle. She had been with him for two centuries, and trusted her visions as they always came to pass.

"I feel, …I feel your child is a female…..still very young. Not an infant anymore though. She bears your mark my lord. That much I am sure of. But somehow…" she fell silent.

'Surely if she bears my mark, someone in the village would have noticed this' he thought to himself. "Satsuki" he said, trying to make her continue.

"Sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama. My thoughts are many. It is challenging to sort through them for something more helpful to you. All I can tell you is, these men that are coming to take the child, they are not far from here. Possibly a little over a days travel from here. I pray, you do not have much time to work with. My only wish was to have had these visions sooner to have been of more help to you my lord." She said looking down at the floor again.

"No apology necessary, that cannot be helped Satsuki. Please, tell the servants to send Takeshi to my study immediately" he said as he stood up. Satsuki bowed in compliance, and left his study with urgent purpose.

'Well…' he thought to himself. Starting to pace in his study. Absorbing the whole conversation he had with his seer. 'I guess things are going to start to get interesting after all.'

He mentally went over any of the mistresses he'd recently had in the past few years. It wasn't terribly many. He was sure that he was careful, and didn't take any women that were in heat. How could he have been so careless? He shook the thought from his mind.

A few minutes later, another knock was heard at his study's door. "Enter" he stated.

Takeshi entered. He was always up around the same time that Sesshoumaru was, before the sun rose. He was fully dressed in his armor. His sword securely tied to his waist. His hair tied back in a low ponytail.

"You needed to see me my lord?" he bowed politely, before standing upright again.

"You will have your men out on the lands patrolling for anything that looks suspicious. I have reason to believe that we may have unwanted visitors entering into the western territory within the next day or so." He said rather matter-of-factly. His soldier looked at him with a questioned look.

"My lord? The lands have been in such a peaceful state these many long years, who could possibly dare to trespass?" he held a hand up at his lord's look towards him. "I don't mean to question you, I'm just surprised by it is all. Of course my lord, as you wish."

"You will leave the usual guard around the estate, but anyone you can spare to keep an eye out would be helpful." Sesshoumaru continued, "I will be searching the villages in the meantime" he said, putting away the scrolls on his desk for further inspection later.

"The villages my lord?" his soldier questioned. 'It's not often he goes to the villages other than the open lands.' He wondered to himself.

Sesshoumaru nodded, not adding anything further.

Takeshi took that as a signal that he could leave and be on his way to carry out the order. He wouldn't question his lord further for fear of angering him. They got along so well, he'd hate to see that happen. 

Sesshoumaru went to retrieve his armor and securely tied his swords to his waist. He almost never left his castle without them out of habit. While he walked from his castle, he pondered being a father. It never really entered into his mind since Rin's passing a decade ago. He really missed Rin as if she were his daughter. Now the thought of being a father again, left him feeling rather indifferent. He wasn't sure of what he wanted anymore. 

He couldn't let that bother him, as he knew the threat of having a child, and being a ruler of a land, would put that child in danger to those that seek to take it over. This child was part of him, and would do everything in his power to protect that child, and his lands.


	2. Chapter 2

They walked through the market. Many different smells filled the air of both food and spices. It was a comforting mixture of smells. A big smile played over Sakura's lips. This was her favourite place to be.

Mizuki looked down at her daughter. She could see the excitement bubbling inside her, her little body barely being able to contain it. Her daughter looked up at her and smiled.

"Ok little one, stay close!" she said down to her. Her little daughter smiled bigger and took off in front of her. Not very far of course. She was trying to sniff out the sweet buns she requested earlier.

It wasn't very long. She could swear that her daughter could find them if they were in an air tight container under water.

"Here Mama! Here!" she said excitedly, jumping up and down. She was rubbing her hands in sticky anticipation, waiting for her mother to come and buy the goods.

Mizuki walked over to the merchant. It was a lady merchant. She smiled at Sakura, looking up to her next.

"These are freshly baked this morning, do you like sweet buns?" she asked the little girl.

"Oh yes yes yes!" she said with big eyes.

"Well take 6 please" Mizuki asked, handing her some money.

"Right away and here…" she handed an extra bun to Sakura, "you can have this one on your way!"

Sakura took it graciously. Bowing she said "Oh, thank-you!" and begin to take small sticky bites, smiling at her mother.

The merchant then put six in some big leaves, wrapping them so that Mizuki could place them in her basket. She handed the bundles to Mizuki with a smile.

"Your daughter is so polite, and she has such amazing eyes!" She remarked, handing over the last bundle and giving Mizuki the change. "Her eyes, they're such a rich gold colour….not unlike,"

Mizuki didn't wait for the merchant to finish, "Thank-you my lady, you have been so helpful!" she nodded to the merchant. The merchant simply smiled and nodded back.

Sakura smiled to the lady, and took her mothers hand to continue through the market while eating the bun she had, relishing every little bite.

Xxxx-xxxXXXxxx-xxxX

Takeshi had the majority of his men, out on the western lands. To say it looked suspicious was an understatement. The few people they encountered were all villagers traveling the roads. So far they hadn't encountered any 'intruders' that his lord was informed of.

He knew the lord had a meeting with his seer, when Satsuki came to fetch him. She looked worried, but didn't converse anything other than the request that the lord wanted to see him right away.

He frowned. He felt there was more going on than what he was told. His only hope was that later his lord would let him in on his conversation with his seer. His men continued on in the group he was leading. Always on alert for anything that should not be where it is. But, still – nothing to report back thus far.

Takeshi let out a long sigh….it's been too long since he's been in a good fight. He was almost hoping that there would be something, some demon that would come across their path and put up a decent fight.

He looked up at the position of the sun. 'Still mid-day' he thought to himself…'this is going to be a very long day'

Xxxx-xxxXXXxxx-xxxX

Sesshoumaru traveled through his villages. He covered a lot of ground this morning with both his demon speed, and his demonic cloud he took between the villages. He was trying to visit the villages of the women that he 'took' recently within the last decade or so.

It was a little frustrating to say the least. Although the women were always polite, they looked at him with a questioned look.

"Of course not my lord." She bowed low. Her eyes came up to meet his. He gave a curt nod, and left to find the next woman.

'This is getting to become very tedious' he thought to himself. He had quite a large territory to cover. His only hope was that remembering any of the women that he had taken in the past, haven't moved out on him.

The sun was just past mid-day. He had come across a market place. He noticed a woman he had taken in the past 5 years, purchasing some goods with a merchant. He decided to follow her to get her away from the crowd of the market place.

As he silently followed, some of the villagers took notice of him, bowing as they got out of his way. It wasn't very often they got to see their lord walking through the village. He was mostly met with smiles and curt nods. A few would greet him as he passed. Sesshoumaru simply nodded when necessary, never really taking his gaze from the woman that was slowly making her way from the market.

When he noticed she was leaving the crowd. His pace became quicker, with intention. It wasn't long before he caught up with her.

Mizuki felt like she was being followed suddenly. She looked back to find the lord not too far behind her. Her heart started to flutter in slight fear, but she tried to keep her composure. She stopped to smile and bow, and waited for him to come closer.

"My lord, what brings you here?" Mizuki asked politely. Her gaze never fully meeting his.

Sesshoumaru noticed the fear the moment the woman found out he was following her.

"I need to speak to you privately." He said without any emotion.

"Of course my lord. My home is but 2 minutes away, if you will allow me?" she motioned the direction that her home was.

Sesshoumaru nodded and started to walk in the direction of her home, with Mizuki following closely behind. This was the custom, the lord always in front leading the way, the lady following behind him. It was a show of respect.

They came to a modest looking home with a thatch roof. She opened the door for him allowing him to enter before her. She shut the door behind him.

"For what do I owe the pleasure of your company my lord?" she said bowing again.

Sesshoumaru didn't answer right away, he was scanning their dwelling. He could smell that another resided in here. He quickly eyed a little doll by a chair and looked back to the woman. He noticed her eye came from the doll as well.

"I have come in search of a possible child of mine. I see you have a child residing with you." He simply stated. He noticed her scent didn't waver from fear since his first meeting with her from the market.

"Yes my lord. It is my daughter." She said with downcast eyes.

"Where is she?" he asked her.

"She is out playing with her friends in the village my lord" she looked up at him.

"Is she mine?" he came right out and asked her.

Tears began to brim in her eyes.

"Will you take her from me?" she asked pleadingly.

"Answer." He stated; his eyes narrowed.

"Hai my lord, she is yours" her tears started to fall down her cheeks. She couldn't look at him; her eyes were on the floor.

"Why keep this information from me?" he asked her, stepping closer. She backed away a step.

She looked up at him. "Would you have let me keep her had I told you my lord?" she asked him. Almost defiantly, but her gaze then dropped from him realizing how it sounded.

He raised her chin up with his hand so that her gaze met his.

"You know the dangers of having a child of my lineage here. What someone with power would do to take that child from me? What they would try to do in order to have which is not theirs." He stated, never taking his eyes off her. "Did you also cast a barrier upon her to hide her from me?" he asked her sternly. He looked into her eyes for any signs that she would lie to him.

She was taken aback. "N-No my lord, I would not know in the slightest as how to achieve that. I am but a humble woman trying to take care of my daughter." She said. Rather hurt that he would imply such treachery.

He saw that she wasn't lying. His face then softened.

"What is your name?" he asked her, taking his hand from her chin.

"Mizuki my lord" she looked down again. Tears still flowing from her eyes. She loved her daughter so much.

"Mizuki, you will have my daughter ready upon my return this evening. You and her will accompany me back to my castle where we can discuss the situation further, am I understood?" he asked her.

She brought her gaze up to his. "As you wish my lord" and gave a bow in acceptance of his order. He then nodded in return and left her in her home. Mizuki immediately collapsed, crying into her hands. How did he know, she took every measure to try to hide her daughter from him. 'What was this barrier he spoke of?'….she was dreading the evening's conversation she would have with the lord. She didn't want to loose her daughter, she may be his, but she was also her daughter.

Her first thought was to pack up and flee with her daughter. But thought against it for she knew that would merit her death. She couldn't defy him. He was a good lord. She only hoped that they could come to some sort of agreement where she wouldn't have to part with her daughter.

She dried her tears with the sleeve of her kimono. Her daughter would return home soon and she'd have to explain to her daughter and didn't want to scare her with her current appearance.

Xxxx-xxxXXXxxx-xxxX

A couple of hours later….

Sakura comes in the door. A bit of dirt smudged on her face from the day's playing she had with her friends. She had a fist full of flowers for her mother. She took her sandals off and placed them by the door.

"Mama, look what I picked for you!" she exclaimed, and handed her a small bouquet of pink and yellow snap dragons.

She smiled sadly at them, "Thank-you Sakura! They are so beautiful…and look at you, your face is all dirty…" she continued. She went to get a cloth and some water. She took a washing bowl and poured some water into it, and dipped the corner of the cloth into it. She lightly washed her daughters face. Her daughter never taking her eyes off of her.

"Mommy, what's wrong…why are you sad?" she asked, still looking into her eyes. Mizuki looked into her daughter's eyes, realizing that indeed, those were his eyes. She never really thought of how much she looked like him until today.

"I am not sad little one…" she said kissing her daughters forehead. "Mommy just loves you so much!" she was fighting hard against tears.

"Here..." she handed Sakura a clean kimono, "...go and put this on, and come back and have dinner, I need to talk to you, okay?" she said with a small smile.

She looked up at her mother and took the kimono. "Ok Mama." She walked off to her bedroom to change. She's never seen her mother down like this. She quickly changed as best she could, and then joined her mother at the kitchen table.

Mizuki watched as her daughter came forward, holding out her untied sash to her. "Come here little one, I will tie that for you." She said with a warm smile. In the back of her mind, she hoped that she would always share these small moments with her. She tied the bow at the back and guided her daughter to the table where a bowl of stew sat waiting for her. She sat her daughter down, pulling the chair slightly toward her. She took her daughters hands together and kneeled in front of her daughter and looked into her eyes.

"I have something to tell you Sakura, and I don't want you to be sad, and I want you to be very brave for me, okay?" she said, tears threatening to brim to her eyes. Her daughter just nodded, she could feel her mother's sadness starting to build.

"You are very important to me, and I love you with all my heart. I only want what is best for you. You know that, right?" she said rubbing her small hands with her thumbs.

"Yes Mama, I love you too" she said, getting slightly teary eyed.

"Your father wants to see you. He's coming to get us later tonight." She said hesitantly. She wasn't sure how she was going to take this new information. They've never really talked about her father. She was still too young to have those kinds of questions.

Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief. "I have a father?"

"Yes Sakura. He's a very important man. He wishes to meet you, and you and I will be joining him later tonight so I want you to be on your best behaviour, okay?" she asked her daughter. She knew that she would be on her best behaviour, but she really didn't know what else to say to her daughter. She felt if she did, that she wouldn't be able to hold back the tears that she was trying to hide from her daughter. That wouldn't make a good first impression. Then she would be scared when he came for them tonight, and may make matters worse. She was hoping things would go smoothly so that she can be with her daughter for as long as she could.

"Okay Mama…" she said, trying to soak in this new information.

Just then, a loud scream was heard from outside. Then followed by a few more screams. Mizuki ran to the window and peered out. The sun was just starting to descend, and she could see some flames outside. There were some demons, they looked almost like boars, and had razors going down their backs. They were carrying swords and torches as they walked through the village. They were lighting some of the houses on fire.

Mizuki immediately turned to her daughter – "Sakura, in your bedroom, hide where I have taught you, NOW!"

Her daughter immediately bolted from her chair and ran to her bedroom, and without missing a beat, skidded on her belly under her bed. There was a hidden latch on the floor under her bed, she pressed it to the side and opened the door enough for her to slid under it, and shut the door tightly above her. This led her underneath the house. She sat there on the damp ground. All she could hear was screaming.

She could see orange flickering coming from the cracks in the boards near the front of her home where the stairs were near her front door. She slowly crawled forward in the dirt to get a better look. She instinctively froze as she saw beasts headed toward her house. They didn't see her. Behind them she saw another beast, he ran after a villager that was trying to run away, and stabbed him in the back with his sword. He fell to the ground in the roadway.

She was about to scream but quickly put her hand over her mouth to muffle any sound. She knew she had to be absolutely quiet in order to stay hidden. Her tears began to sting at her eyes, and started flowing down her cheeks. She grabbed her knees and began rocking in her spot just underneath the front door. Trying to ease the terror in her heart. Hoping her mother would be okay.

Her heart jumped when she heard the beast bust down her door. Her hand coming over her mouth again, muffling a scream….she opened her eyes and tried to listen as to what was going on above her.

"Please, please, what are you doing?" she could hear her mother's cries.

"Where is the child?!" the beast yelled at her. "Give her to us NOW!" and there was a loud crash of pots and items clattering and breaking onto the floor. Causing Sakura to jump again, releasing more tears down her cheeks.

"Please, I don't have a daughter, you are mistaken!" she heard her mother cry out.

"You lying wench, WHERE IS SHE?!" he yelled again, and another crash came.

Then she heard a gasp, and some heavy steps out the front door. She could scarcely see that they threw her mother out the front door; she landed roughly on the dirt a few feet from the house.

She could hear other beasts crashing through things in the house, trying to look for her. She dared not move from her spot. Her focus was entirely on her mother who was looking up at the beast in front of her.

The beast grabbed her by the front of her kimono and sent her sailing further in front of her house; they were now into the road.

"I'll teach you not to lie to me!" he said with a sneer, and took his sword out.

"No, please, please!" she said, her hands up in front of her defensively.

He brought the sword down with such a quick force that there was no other sound. Just her body falling flat to the ground.

Sakura bit hard into her arm to stop the scream that threatened to make her presence known.


	3. Chapter 3

Satsuki collapsed onto the ground suddenly. She had been walking through the castle rather aimlessly sorting through this morning's visions when she felt like she had been hit with a tidal wave. Her eyes were glowing brightly; tears falling over her cheeks from the pain.

"Oh my, ….no, I've got to see him; I've got to find him…" was all she could get out.

She started to grab at the wall to pull herself up into a stand before walking awkwardly down the hall in search of her lord. She sensed that he had returned not too long after mid-day and had since gone back towards his study.

With the visions pouring into her, she felt almost blind as she was seeing visions and the hall she was walking in, all at the same time. With the pain she was feeling, it was numbing her legs and felt she wasn't really in control of her legs, but was willing them to move forward down the hall that led to her master's wing.

She looked up through the visions to see her lord walking to the door of his study at the end of the hall.

"My lord…" she gasped out. He suddenly turned. His stature changed from regal looking to that of slight alarm. He quickly made his way to Satsuki, walking in big long strides as she started sliding down the hall wall in a weak attempt at support.

"My lord…you have to go, back to the village…right now before it's too late!" she said, her breathing becoming heavier with the emotions running through her.

"What is going on Satsuki, explain." He stated, trying to grab hold of her and straightening her to stand before him. Her eyes were glowing so brightly, they were almost hard to look at. Her body was trembling in pain.

"They are already here; they can somehow shift into places faster than I can see. They have already made it into the village you passed. You must go. NOW!" she yelled.

He nodded to her, releasing her to the wall she was grabbing, and he strode down the hall to the front entrance. A maid was almost knocked over in his quick exit as she had seen the last part of his conversation with the seer and was coming to her aid.

Xxxx-xxxXXXxxx-xxxX

Sakura could still hear the crashing above her as the beasts were tearing through her home in search of her. She didn't dare move from her spot underneath the house. She could still see the orange glow outside from her view through the space in the steps. It was dark now, but the fires that were outside lit up the area. She could still see her mother's still body in the roadway.

She bit hard into her arm, trying to stifle a cry that threatened to leave her throat. It ached in pain at the cry she wanted to let out.

Another crash above her sent dust through the floor, the sound making Sakura jump but she still didn't cry out. Just bit harder into her arm.

Xxxx-xxxXXXxxx-xxxX

Sesshoumaru spotted the fires from his spot in the sky. With tokijin unsheathed, he quickly descended from his cloud, and dropped to the ground when he was close enough. Mizuki's house was not on fire, but some of the small homes beside her were ablaze. He saw the bodies in the street, but didn't glance down at them. He was running to the house he knew the beasts were still in. He could smell their foul stench from a mile away.

There was no front door left to the home. It was dark inside as the house had been turned upside down. Perhaps he wasn't too late?

He was in the house so silently; the beasts hadn't even noticed he had entered at all. Sesshoumaru's blade pierced through one of them, causing a gasp, but no scream. He had punctured the beast's lungs, and he no longer could expel his breath to create any sound.

He turned to the other beast that had turned at his partner's gasp, and then eyed Sesshoumaru. He didn't move, simply stared at him, eyes furrowed in an angry glare.

"What is the meaning of this? Who sent you?!" he said coldly, narrowing his eyes. The beast still impaled on his sword began to let out his last breath, so Sesshoumaru simply used his foot to kick him from his blade in disgust. He growled angrily in warning as his eyes continued to narrow at the beast that was still breathing.

He struck out his sword toward the boar, and the boar instinctively moved to the side. Neither one taking their eyes off the other. The glow of the flames not making much light into the house, but it didn't matter as both could see very well in the dark.

"ANSWER ME!" Sesshoumaru barked out, still growling at the boar.

"I don't need to answer to you, you are _not_ my lord!" the boar practically spat out. "Soon, very soon, I will have my pleasure in watching your fall from these lands" he sneered. A smile of promise on his lips…a promise of future pain.

Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth together in anger. His fangs starting to lengthen from his anger; threatening to let out his true form.

"You are a fool to believe such lies…" he said coldly, containing his anger for letting the boar breathe for a moment longer. "…the only thing _you_ will see is _me_, as I rip you to shreds" he stated, his claws started to lengthen. He held up his left hand, and it began dripping with his poison, searing the wooden floorboards below him.

The boar attempted to step back, but Sesshoumaru quickly struck his face. The boar screamed out as his face burned from the poison; opening a wound that wouldn't heal.

"You will regret that!" the boar seethed, his hand to his face. Just then, he stepped back into a black void that seemed to open behind him, and it swallowed the boar from the room. He was gone.

Sesshoumaru stood up from his stance as he was ready to pounce again. The magic the boar had used was not his own. He was summoned somehow. He felt that somehow they were being watched. The void didn't come from the boar at all…it had a different aura altogether. He growled lowly in annoyance.

He started to glance around the room remembering why he had come in the first place. He then sheathed tokijin again.

The house was in chaos. He stepped into the room that he could only guess was his daughter's room. The bed was turned over. The cupboards of clothing were strewn about the room. The little doll that he had spied earlier this day was lying by itself on the floor not too far from his foot.

He looked into Mizuki's room. Same look in her room also…but nobody to be found. Perhaps she had ran out, or escaped somehow?

He walked out of the house and into the roadway. There were bodies there. One body was Mizuki's. He ran up to Mizuki's body and knelt down. He examined her for any possible signs of life. But she had been dead for some time. His thought was to use the tenseiga. He pulled it from his sheath and waited to see the collectors of the dead. But there was nothing. Her soul it seemed had already been collected.

Xxxx-xxxXXXxxx-xxxX

Sakura watched the man over her mother. His long white hair draped over his shoulders and around his face. She saw him get up & pull a sword over her. It confused her as she knew that her mother was already dead.

She then watched him put the sword back into it's sheath. He began looking around.

Sakura put her arm into her mouth, letting out a small whine, so small it could be mistaken for the wind. She looked up to the being in the street, when she realized a sound escaped from her. Then the man looked at her. He looked at her as if he could see her through the small crack in the floor.

She got on all fours in alarm and panic at being spotted. The man quickly ran to the steps, and started pulling up the boards to get at her.

Sakura shrieked in terror and quickly scampered to the back of the house. She started pulling at the boards with her claws at the back of the house. She cried out as her fingers had scraped at the rough edges of the wood. She looked behind her to see the man pulling at the boards, the hole being big enough to see his eyes and fangs as he was prying at the rest of the boards to get at her.

She cried out as one of the boards she was pulling on finally gave way to the back of the house, and she squished her small body through the opening to try to get away. She began to run toward the wooded area that was behind her house, but didn't get very far as she felt someone grab her arm and pull her back.

She continued screaming out, her claws coming into contact with the man's arms. The man had grabbed her? She didn't understand how quick he was. She started freaking out in panic and terror. Her claws lengthened, tearing at anything near. She continually kicked her legs out to try to get free. His hands were trying to restrain her. She then bit down on one of the hands hoping this would get her free. Just then, she was quickly pulled around and received three hard swats on her behind before she was turned back around to face the man.

This stunned her enough to let go of him. He now had both her hands in his. She had stopped screaming, and the man came down to eye-level with her. His gold eyes were staring at her. She looked at his face then. He looked at her, not with angry eyes, but eyes of concern. She couldn't move. She was so confused. He didn't look like the monsters that killed her mother.

"Are you harmed?" he asked her. She simply stood there, staring at him.

"Answer me, are you harmed?" he said more sternly. Her lip began to tremble as fresh tears started to flow down her cheeks. She still didn't speak.

Sesshoumaru didn't know what to do to make her speak. She seemed to be going into some kind of shock from the whole ordeal. He seemed to have stopped her from trying to flee when she finally realized he wasn't going to kill her. He had to get her back safely to his castle before those beasts returned.

He picked her up in one of his arms, and she instinctively put her arm around his shoulder. She then put her head down, and began to weep softly. He quickly formed a cloud under him, and sped off to his castle. The little girl in his arms never looked up once. She was totally absorbed in her sadness at the loss of her mother. He wondered how long she had been under the house trying to suppress her cries.

Xxxx-xxxXXXxxx-xxxX

He flew over the gates, coming down in front of the entrance to his castle. The guards immediately scrambled to open the front doors for him.

Sesshoumaru walked in, a few of the maids noticing him enter, came forward to offer any assistance they could as they saw the child he had in his arms.

Sesshoumaru turned to one of the guards. "Masato, has Takeshi returned?"

"Yes my lord" he answered.

"See that he sends his men to the village near the big market just west of here and secure it" he ordered. The guard gave a quick bow, and left promptly.

After the doors were closed back behind him, he made to let the girl back down, but found she would grab on tighter the moment his arm got under her arms to try to put her down. This made the girl cry more fearfully. He tried again and got the same reaction.

He looked at the maids, and held up his hand in dismissal seeing as how she would not go with them. He then made his way down to his wing of the castle.

Torches were lit every so often down the corridors to light the way as they were now a couple of hours past sunset. He went into the room beside his own. It joined his room by the bathing room, and this room was as secure as his, so it should be safer for her. He walked into the bathing room and started to kneel down toward the floor in another attempt to get the girl free from his shoulder.

She cried out softly as he began to pull her using her arms. He did so a little more forcefully and noticed she resisted a little less, and he was able to get her standing in front of him.

He looked down at her. Her face and hands were dirty from hiding under the house. He turned and grabbed a washing bowl and cloth, and filled it with the water in the hot spring that was beside them in the bathing room.

He sat down on the rock beside the spring, and turned her to face him. She simply stared at him. Her crying had ceased. He then dipped the cloth into the bowl and wrung it out. She watched him with the cloth. He then began to wipe the dirt and tears from her face.

As he got to her shroud that had been pinned into her hair, he noticed a slight tear in her skin. But it wasn't bleeding. She didn't flinch in pain either as he watched her eyes as he wiped at it with the cloth. He then took the cloth into part of his hand, and unclipped the clasps that held the shroud to her hair, and put it beside him.

He then took his thumb, and began to wipe his thumb over the tear, which started the tear to roll up on itself. This, revealing her skin underneath it. His eyebrow rose in confusion as he continued to remove the strange skin that covered her forehead. Then he saw it…the mark, _his_ mark, upon her forehead. The skin was used to hide her mark. 'Mizuki new well to keep her hidden, she was trying to protect her.' He thought to himself inwardly.

"You will no longer need to hide my child." He stated softly, as he finished wiping her face clean. She still just looked at him, not saying a word.

He washed the cloth, and took up her right arm to clean it. He pushed back her soiled kimono to see her bite-marks on her arm. Probably there from when she was trying to keep herself from screaming, he thought to himself. The marks were slowly healing themselves as he gingerly wiped her arms clean.

He then untied her kimono as it was soiled from the dirt. He took off all her outer clothing, and left them on a pile on the floor. He left her under clothing on, and walked her out into the bedroom. She followed silently, her little hand in his.

He stood her in front of him, then turned to the armoire too look for a robe small enough for her. He was glad that the maids had kept some of Rin's childhood clothing. He smiled slightly at remembering her in them. He took a small blue robe out, and started to help her into it.

He finished tying the robe up for her and put her into the bed. He sat down next to her.

"You are safe here child, do not be afraid of me" he said, brushing her hair from her forehead. He continued to look down at her. This was his child. She looked so much like him, except for the lack of stripes on her cheeks. She continued to just stare at him in silence.

"Please, tell me….what is your name?" he asked softly, facing into her a little more.

She began to open her mouth, and hesitated. He rubbed her hand to let her know it was okay, something he did for Rin when she was scared to tell him something.

"Sakura" she stated softly.


	4. Chapter 4

The boar grabbed at his chest, still seething in anger and pain. He staggered through a thick dark forest, coming to some old looking steps. The steps lead up to a courtyard surrounded by torches.

An old temple lay just ahead of the courtyard, vines covering up most of the building, and trees were overtaking many of the open areas.

He came to stand at the temple that succumbed to much ruin and over-growth. He could see the flames from the torches inside the temple, lighting his way forward. He held his head low as he knew what was to come next.

He proceeded to an open room with no ceiling, and knelt down before the steps at the altar where his master sat on his throne. Some other boars just outside his line of sight sneered at him. His breath, swirled around him in the cold night air as he waited in silence.

"How dare you come back here empty handed Mamoru!" came his master's voice, low and angry. Mamoru bowed further, closing his eyes in shame.

"The task was simple enough, I practically pointed the very village out for you, yet you fail me! I should kill you where you stand!" he said lowly, with disgust.

"I'm sorry my lord, but I was not expecting him to be there…how could he have known we would be there?" he said, daring a glance up. His master still had his hood up , darkening his face. Only his eyes could be seen and they glowed brighter showing the anger Mamoru expected his question would bring.

The lord tilt his head to one side to speak over his shoulder behind him…"Yokoshima, how is it that Sesshoumaru knew about this child?" he paused slightly…"I thought we were going to have the upper hand, yet, he shows up just as my men were so close…explain this to me Yokoshima." His eyes narrowed to slits.

She approaches his right side from the darkness behind him. Her body ragged with old age. Bowing ever so slightly, "My lord, it seems he has a powerful seer as well. I misjudged her ability, a mistake I will not make again I can assure you. We will have to find another way to obtain the child – after all, he cannot guard her all day and all night."

The boar stood at attention "My lord, if you will allow me another –"

"SUCH INSOLENCE!" he yelled loudly as he rose from his throne so quickly, almost throwing it backwards. He approached the boar with quick steps, causing Mamoru to step back wide-eyed with fear. He picked up the husky demon by the throat with amazing strength. The boar, grasping his master's arms trying to pry the fingers from his neck that was slowly being constricted.

"My lord, please – I will not…fail you…again…" his voice squeaked under the pressure, "…it was unforeseen that he would…ha-ve…be-en…there…" he was breathing in frantic attempts at the effort to speak and to try to take in breath at the same time.

The dark lord sent him crashing into a tree that stood to the far right of their surroundings. The boar silently thanked the gods that he could now breathe, and he slowly got to his feet, rubbing his neck and coughing in choking fits to clear his throat.

"Get out of my sight at once!" he said pointing back behind him. Mamoru didn't waste any time - nodded, dropping his eyes to the ground and made a hasty retreat.

The dark lord turned his back, facing his throne. He started thinking to himself, losing himself in thought. His seer watching him intently. He looked up and met her gaze.

"Speak" he stated to her flatly and with annoyance.

She smiled evilly at him, "We can still capture her…we will have to be more…" she searched for the right word "clever in our approach" she said. She nodded to herself, raising her finger, remembering "I think I know the right person for the task, if you will allow me my lord?" she asked of him. "Hmph!" he grumbled in agreement…and they walked together into the darkness.

Xxxx-xxxXXXxxx-xxxX

Hours had passed into the night. A guard stood outside Sakura's room at attention. A scream sounded from her room which spun him around quickly and he slid the door open to enter.

Sakura jumped up from her covers, at the sound of the door. Screaming at the top of her lungs. She spun around and crouched down, growling at the guard, her eyes glowing in fright.

"Easy now" he said softly, putting up his hands "I am only here to help you!" He slowly started approaching her, taking quick glances around the room to check if anything was amiss. Sakura screamed again and jumped backward. This sent an unlit lantern crashing to the floor that had been sitting on her bedside table. She eyed it quickly, picked it up and threw it at the guard while still screaming and wailing at him.

**While this scene had started…**

A scream alerted Sesshoumaru from his study. He ran down the hall to the wing where is daughter was residing, and got to the door just as a lantern came whizzing by him, crashing on to the hall floor.

The guard turned to him, bowing low.

"What is the meaning of this!?" he stated more than asked, rather loudly at that. Looking from his guard, then to his daughter that had sought refuge by the window curtains. She had them tugged up into both fists, in front of her in a defence stance. He then looked to his guard again.

"My lord, your ward was screaming, so I entered her room. I am unsure why as she appears to be alone. I tried to approach her but she is too upset to comfort."

He nodded in dismissal, then turned his attention to his daughter as his guard was slipping out of the room. His daughter was still crouching in behind the curtains with tears in her eyes.

He went to her other bedside table, and lit the lantern on it. He then straightened out her blankets on her bed, and turned the top of her blankets down. He looked over to where Sakura was crouching. She stood, still grasping the curtains as if they were her protection, looking at him with wide eyes. He patted the bed, silently asking her to it.

She hesitantly let go of the curtains, and slowly approached the bedside. She then climbed up onto the bed. Only when Sesshoumaru pulled up the blanket for her to crawl under, did she make it to the center of the bed. He then laid the blankets down, under her arms and sat on the side of the bed. He put his left arm on the other side of her and looked down at her.

Her eyes never left his. She slowly started to calm down. Her breaths becoming more even.

"You are safe as long as you are with me, young one. Never forget that. There is a guard posted at your door for your protection" he said looking to the door quickly, then back at her. "I have many guards outside the castle, and a seer that will sense the moment anyone enters into these walls that is not supposed to be here. I want you to feel safe here."

She looked at him for a few moments, and then nodded softly. "Sleep now" he said, holding her little hand in his right, rubbing his thumb over it. She nodded again slowly, and watched as he got up and made his way to the door. He left the lantern lit for her. He turned to look back at her before he slid the door shut again.

She sighed deeply, trying to calm herself further so she could fall asleep. Before long, she finally slipped back into sleep again.

Xxxx-xxxXXXxxx-xxxX

The dark lord sat on his throne. Lightening sparked in the background, followed by rumbling thunder. His seer whispers to him, he nods.

"Tanuki – come forth, I have need of you" he says aloud.

A red electric light starts to circle in front of him on the ground. A furry weasel-like creature levitates up from the red glow, and as his feet touch the ground, the circling light dissipates to nothing.

He snarls before he speaks "Yes my lord, what need do you have of me this fine evening" he says, greedily rubbing over his front paws. His eyes gave a red twinkle.

"I have a very important task for you…you will be well rewarded if you succeed"

"Anything you ask my lord, it will be done" he says, bowing low to the ground.

If it could be seen, an evil smile spilled over the lords features… *evil chuckling giving way to an evil laugh*


End file.
